Lime Cottage Cheese Jello Salad combines a handful of tasty ingredients into an unforgettable retro classic. You’ll love the sweetness of the pineapple, crunch from the walnuts, and creaminess of the cottage cheese in this unique vintage recipe, ideal for Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas spreads.
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Lime Jello Salad: A Unique Holiday Treat
Lime Jello Salad with cottage cheese is refreshing and tangy, balanced by the smooth sweetness of evaporated milk. This delicious Jello may remind you of your grandmother’s table, or of nostalgic mid-century comfort foods; perhaps your mom made this salad, or a similar one, for holiday gatherings.
Gelatin is not vegan, as it is made of animal collagen. While this recipe uses lime Jello, luckily, vegan Jello options are available, and can be used to substitute in this recipe if needed.
Why This Lime Cottage Cheese Jello Salad Recipe is a Keeper
My grandmother’s recipe for lime green jello salad can not be beat. This old recipe, along with her strawberry pretzel salad, are a family favorite for all our get togethers. You might know this as Watergate salad or Cottage Cheese Salad.
- Easy Ingredients: This lime Jello salad recipe uses simple ingredients to make a delicious snack or dessert. Use a box of lime Jello mixture as the base, and add toppings as you see fit.
- Adaptable: You could make this recipe with lemon and lime Jello instead, or your favorite Jello mix. The sweetness of the Jello may vary depending on the flavor you use. It’s possible to use sugar-free Jello as well.
- Makes Great Leftovers: Lime Jell-o Salad stores great in the fridge, and will be just as good 2 days later. This jello fluff salad is light and instead of cream cheese we use cottage cheese.
If you’re looking for more Jello-inspired recipes, try Orange Jello Salad, Cherry Jello Salad with Fruit, and Cranberry Raspberry Jello Salad.
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Can Jello Molds be Used for this Recipe?
Yes! You’ll love this salad even more if you use a Jello mold to add a festive flair to this vintage dessert. Transform grandma’s lime green jello salad recipe into a charming centerpiece for your holiday spread with any shaped mold or Bundt pan, along with some cooking spray. Using differently-shaped molds will ensure that you have a unique congealed salad every holiday.
Ingredient Notes for Green Jello Salad
A few quick and cheap ingredients can help you create the perfect lime Jello salad:
- Lime Gelatin: Sugar free can be great in this dessert salad recipe. We made this Jello salad with Lime Jello, but any flavor is great in this green Jello salad recipe.
- Small Curd Cottage Cheese: Instead of softened cream cheese, which also works for this recipe.
- Crushed Pineapple: Lime Jello and pineapple complement each other excellently.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Green Lime Jello Salad Recipe
There are many ways to make this great family recipe, particularly when varying the toppings and flavors used. Here are some ideas to shake up this timeless recipe for lime gelatin salad:
- Different Fruits: Instead of pineapple Jello salad, experiment with this fruit salad by adding peaches or mandarin oranges. Pineapple and lime are always a good combination, but there are lots of other versions of this recipe to try.
- Different Nuts: Other kinds of nuts may be used in place of walnuts, or nuts may be omitted altogether in the case of allergies or personal preference.
- Cream Cheese: While the recipe card may call for 8 oz carton of cottage cheese, you can use room temperature cream cheese instead of cottage cheese in order to vary the texture of this vintage lime Jello salad. Lime Jello and cream cheese, like cottage cheese, provide a great mix of sweet and tangy flavor.
- Mini Marshmallows: Try adding mini marshmallows to add texture and flavor to your green lime Jello salad. Or use lemon jello instead.
How to Make Retro Lime Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
This simple and nostalgic holiday Jello salad recipe is easy to make, and will certainly make your holiday table the talk of family gatherings for years to come!
These are the basic steps for making Lime Jello Salad. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
STEP 1: Make the Fruit Salad and add the Lime Jello
In a large sauce pan combine reserved pineapple juice and bring water to a boil, then remove from heat and add the 2 boxes of lime Jello.
STEP 2: Make the Fruit Salad Jello and Crushed Pineapple
In a large bowl, mix together the evaporated milk and mayonnaise. Slowly add the Jello and mix, then fold in the cottage cheese, crushed pineapple, and walnuts. Stir until Jello with the cottage cheese and walnuts, then pour the gelatin salad into a square baking dish.
STEP 3: Refrigerate the Green Jello Salad Recipe
You will want to cover baking dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours; nobody wants hot Jello! Serve with cool whip and crushed pineapple.
Recipe FAQs To Love this Recipe for Green Jello Congealed Salad Recipe
Expert Tips for Making to Make Lime Jello Fruit Salad
- Double: If you want to double this great salad, increase ingredients proportionally and split between two dishes. This recipe is great as a side dish too.
- Flavored Jello: Use any other flavor, such as strawberry, pineapple, cherry, lemon, or raspberry.
- Toppings: Some suggestions for toppings are whipped cream, cool whip, pineapple chunks, maraschino cherries, chopped walnuts, and mini marshmallows.
- Additions: blend in coconut, fresh pineapple, cranberry, or different nuts such as pecans or fruits to the jello salad.
What to Make with Lime Jello Salad
Old Fashioned Lime Cottage Cheese Jello Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Pineapple, 1 can of crushed pineapple, drain and reserve juice
- 1 cup Water, adjust amount based on instructions below
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 cup Evaporated milk
- 1 cup Small curd cottage cheese
- ½ cup Walnuts, chopped
- 6 ounces Lime gelatin, two 3 oz boxes
Instructions
- Add reserved pineapple juice to a 2 cup measuring cup. Add water to bring the liquid to 2 cups.
- Add liquid to large sauce pan and bring it to a boil; Remove from heat.
- Add the lime gelatin to the heated liquid and stir until combined.
- In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, and evaporated milk until smooth. Slowly add in the gelatin mixture and stir until combined.
- Fold in the cottage cheese, crushed pineapple and chopped walnuts.
- Pour the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish; Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Expert Tips
-
- Double: If you want to double this great salad, increase ingredients proportionally and split between two dishes. This recipe is great as a side dish too.
- Flavored Jello: Use any other flavor, such as strawberry, pineapple, cherry, lemon, or raspberry.
- Toppings: Some suggestions for toppings are whipped cream, cool whip, pineapple chunks, maraschino cherries, chopped walnuts, and mini marshmallows.
- Additions: blend in coconut, fresh pineapple, cranberry, or different nuts such as pecans or fruits to the jello salad.
My mother always added grated carrots and used cream cheese. I don’t recall using evaporated milk. My family always looks forward to the holidays!
My grandma use to make this, and she use to spread cream cheese on the top. It was soooo good!!!
I’ve grown up w/this salad since 1970. Ours has whip cream and a bit of powder sugar instead of evaporated milk and we use grated cheddar cheese. We do not use this much mayo either. Now that pecans aren’t as expensive as they were back then we use pecans now instead of walnuts. Don’t leave the pineapple out either. This is such a light and refreshing jello salad.
horseradish sounds good 😊 thanks for the idea.
This lime jello salad is the greatest! Add a few mini marshmallows on the top too! It does spiff up the appearance!
My mother prepared this for our family holiday. Always an empty dish. With her passing I lost the recipe, can’t tell you how happy I was to see it. Thank you it’s in now in my recipe box to make for the upcoming Holiday. 🦋❤️🌹
Ditto. Im so excited I found it. We put grated cheese in ours too. Thx
my Nana would always make this dish around Easter. she never put mayo in hers
i dont remember mayo either
I make a similar version , use 8 ounces of diced pineapple , 1 cup of juice , 1 cup evaporated milk , 1 box lime Jello , small curd cottage cheese , lots of walnuts ( closer to a cup ) . It is fondly called “the green slop” but is delicious with ham and as desert .
Sounds great thanks for the hints!
How many servings are in this dish?
Truly it depends on how big you wish to make them when you cut it. However the calories etc. are based on 8 servings. Enjoy!
I make this with one small lime jello (or whatever we have in the pantry), one zero calorie cool whip, one can pineapple, 1/2-1 cup pecans and one small size cottage cheese-curd and fat your choice! Easy peasy! Would think about trying with condensed milk, but never had it with mayonnaise.
my family have been eating this since before I was born (I’m 65), With one addition- a spoonful of horseradish! You don’t really taste the horseradish, it just adds a little something interesting.
Oh my! This takes me back to my mom and all her strange treats she would make and test on my sister and I before they were servered at special dinners for army officers. I have been looking for this one for some time! Thank you!! (I am 83 years old, so you can tell how long this recipe has been around! A real RETRO!)
Made it years at Xmas but added 2 tsp of horseradish to give zip. Great with ham.
Yum. That is a great idea!
Absobloominlutely fabulous! As a kid we called it (Aunt) Janet’s Whatchamacallit Salad and NEVER left out the horseradish… Years later my hubby Jim would have me triple it and have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert & snacks until it was gone! Then ask when I was going to make it again! 💋
My sister use to make this every Christmas. It was such a hit! I thought I remembered her putting shredded cheddar cheese also. I am wondering if I added it, if it would be okay.
I have never tried it but if you do, let me know how it is.
Ive seen Cheddar Cheese in it too. Be careful to add, once everything is cool !